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Homicide investigators in Humboldt County have recovered the body of a San Diego man who was reported missing eight months ago. NBC 7's Wendy Fry reports on the story of Garret Rodriguez.
(Published Tuesday, Dec 17, 2013)

Updated at 4:25 PM PDT on Tuesday, Dec 17, 2013

Homicide investigators in Humboldt County have recovered the body of a San Diego man who was reported missing eight months ago.

Garret Rodriguez, 29, of Ocean Beach, was reported missing by his father on April 25.

FBI agents are working with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department to determine who killed Rodriguez and buried him along a road in Harris, Calif. a mountain community approximately 150 miles west of Redding.

Deputies received a tip about the gravesite on Nov. 30 and they recovered human remains from the site the following day.

On Tuesday, deputies announced the body was identified as Rodriguez who told his father he was going to Humboldt County to work on a medical marijuana ranch.

Garret told his father the ranch was located in an area known as "Murder Mountain" officials said Tuesday.

Katrina LeBlanc was one of Rodriguez' best friends and said she thinks money was at the root of his killing.

"Garret is the kinda guy who would give you his last dollar, so if someone wanted his money all they would have had to do was ask,” LeBlanc said.

In Ocean Beach, there wasn't a place visited Tuesday where someone didn't know Rodriguez.

A native of the area, he was an avid surfer and fisherman. Friends also described him as an exceptional cook.

LeBlanc was the last person who visited with Rodriguez before he left San Diego for Humboldt County. She said neither of them knew how dangerous the area could be.

While deputies did not reveal the cause of death, they said the coroner confirmed Rodriquez was a victim of homicide.

Anyone with information about this case is requested to contact lead Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.